Reflection
The topic is unavoidable, and should not be avoided. It seems an impossible task to articulate the magnitude of the Indian Ocean Earthquakes, or the devastation that has accompanied it. This is but a mere effort to acknowledge the effects of this natural disaster and its impact on the world.
Numbers are funny things. They can carry so much meaning, or be passed by without even a second glance.
26/12/2004
9.0
1200
15
800
141 000
303.86
These numbers represent the following respectively: Date of the Indian Ocean Earthquake, magnitude, length of the tectonic plate affected, height of some waves, speed in km/h of some waves, confirmed deaths at time of writing this article (surely to be added to), amount of money raised for relief fund from R4NT?s NYE party.
Most of us have likely spent a fair bit of time thinking about the Indian Ocean Earthquake. Rationalizing the situation is an impossibility. X amount of time has been spent grieving lost ones, reading about these events, wondering, pondering, reminiscing on trips to places that are in shambles. Especially at New Year?s, we all tend to do an evaluation of our lives, how the past year went, resolutions for the year to come, and surely this event has entered into our shaping of these thoughts. I am lost for words to really do this topic any justice. I do, however, feel that it is an appreciated effort that most of us are taking the time to stop to reflect on the situation.
?Cars, and phones, and diamond rings, bling bling. Those are only removable things. And what about your mind, does it shine? Or are there things that concern you more than your time?,? Jack Johnson, ?Gone?.
If there were ever a time to feel fragile, human, disgusted by being consumed with meaningless materialistic items and goals, it would be now. While I am not a stranger to death and dying, the impact of this magnitude is something felt never before. The largest ever human disaster. We were a part of it. We are living this piece of history. We can be hopeful that through all our pensive moments that something meaningful comes of it. May it stop the blindness of our society. Feel it. Do not pass this event by and let it unchange the way you see humanity.
A sincere thank-you to everyone who donated to the relief fund.
Best wishes to everyone for 2005.
You can’t do anything about the length of your life, but you can do something about its width and depth. Shira Tehrani
- Reflection
- by Pamela Hruska
- Published on January 1st, 2005
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